Like any other medical emergency, a dental emergency requires quality care in a hurry. If a tooth is broken or has been knocked out, you experience pain and swelling, or you’ve had other trauma to the mouth or jaw that has affected teeth and gums, seek dental treatment right away.
If you have an emergency during office hours in the Fort Wayne area, please come to the office immediately. If you can, let us know you’re coming. Dr. Holmes does everything he can to provide same-day emergency visits. If you are a patient of record, Dr. Holmes may even be able to see you outside business hours. Call us for details.
If you are in need of immediate assistance, call now!
There are a few precautions you can take:
Warm salt water is probably the first thing Grandma would suggest, and we’ll suggest it, too. An ice pack would be our next piece of advice—almost everyone has one in their freezer. Hydrogen peroxide or clove oil are possibilities for gargling, and—if you have any on hand—try sipping some peppermint tea.
Never apply aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) topically to the mouth in any way. Aspirin contains salicylic acid, which can burn and damage sensitive gum tissue, and ibuprofen also has the potential to irritate and cause burns.
If you want pain relief in pill form, acetaminophen (Tylenol®) is a better choice because aspirin and ibuprofen both have the potential to act as a blood thinner and cause excessive bleeding during a dental emergency.
Object Stuck in the Mouth
Bitten Lip or Tongue
Broken, Chipped, Cracked, or Knocked-Out Tooth
If you’re experiencing what you believe is a dental emergency, contact your Fort Wayne emergency dentist, Dr. Ryan Holmes right away!